Car-coupling



(No Model.)

D. V. PUTNAM.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 327,018. V :0 5 Patented pt. 29,1

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I UNITED STATES PATENT 0 Fries.

DAVID V. PUTN AM, OF NOLENSVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,018, datedSeptember 29, 1885.

Application filed August 1|, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID V. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nolensville, in the county of WVilliamson and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Gar-Couplers,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being made to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention will be readily understood from thefollowing:

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional View of the coupler and itsdevices in entirety. Fig. 2 shows the coupler when coupling has beeneffected. Figs. 3 and 4 show two forms of link which may be employed.Fig. 3 is a top, and Fig. 4 is a sectional, view. Fig. 5 is a detaildrawing of the coupling-slide. Fig. 6 is a detail. Fig. 7 is thecoupling rod or pin in detail. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show forms of thecoupling rod or pin which may be employed. Fig. 11 is a yoke which maybe attached to the top of coupler to hold the coupling rod or pin inposition.

G is a slide quadrangular at its outer and cylindrical at its inner end,and connected by a spiral spring, K, with the stationary piece F, whichis also cylindrical in form, and of greater diameter at its inner endthan at the outer, which is presented toward slide G, as shown in thedrawings.

It is not absolutely necessary that spring K should be attached to F orG, provided its ends rest, respectively, on each in such manner as toallow of contraction and resilience. The piece F is fastened in thecoupler L by a bolt or screw, 6, and is immovable.

The coupler L at I is square or quadrangular Where a break occurs, forthe purpose of preventing the slide G from moving farther back from themouth of the coupler. The interior of the coupler widens outward untilthe mouth is reached, and is cylindrical except as above specified.

At t, and resting on the coupler, is a ringshaped piece, a, which isconnected with another ring-shaped piece, I), by means of a spiralspring, Q, the function of which is to break or deaden the concussionwhich is liable to result at the moment of contact of two cars whilecoupling. The ring-shaped piece b is held in place and preventedfroin'sliding or slipping from D by c, which is a pin passing through D,and which may also be utilized in fastening the coupler to the car.

D is a cylindrical rod having a cylindrical flat head, H, ofgreaterdiameter than the other portion of the rod, for the purpose of keepingit in place in the manner shown in Fig. 1, by which it will be seen thatthe coupler L has an interior projection or break, M, against which Hrests. The coupler has also another interior projection or break at I,which has already been described and, partially, its use. When coupling,the slide G moves backward in the coupler until it touches I. This isthe proper moment for coupling, and I prevents further and unnecessarymovement of G backward.

in is the coupling rod or pin,which works in holes m m, and when thecoupling has taken place passes through coupler L and link a. This pinshould be made with shoulders 0 0, in some suitable and effective form,to prevent the pin from leaving the coupler. \Vhen the car is uncoupled,the pin rests on slide G.

The links may be of various shapes, accord ing to requirement. Theordinary form may be used. Two varieties are shown in Figs.3and 4. Fig.3 is a form for even and Fig. 4 a form for uneven cars. In thedrawings, 1) isahole through which passes the coupling-pin attached tothe adjoining car, and by which the link it is connected therewith.

Having described the main features of my invention, I will now explainits operation.

Coupling by my devices occurs as follows: The link it being attached, asdescribed, to one of the two cars to be coupled, either of said cars maybe moved up to the other. \Vhen the link a comes in contact with theslide G, and with the proper degree of force, pressure is exerted on G,which is communicated tospring 5 K, which in consequence contracts, andthere by causes slide G to rccede or move backward until stopped by theinterior projection, I, of the coupler. YVhen the slide G has beenforced backward to this point by the link n,

the hole or slot 1 therein is brought directly underneath the rod or pinm, which has heretofore been resting upon and supported by the slide G.The rod or pin m, having now no longer any support, falls and passesthrough the hole or slot 'r and through the lower part of the coupler m,thus completing the coupling. To uncouple, it is only necessary towithdraw the rod or pin m, thus releasing the spring K, whichimmediately expands or rebounds, thus forcing slide G back to its formerplace, and it thus resumes its proper position for recoupling.

An advantage of my invention consists in its capability of attachment tothe ordinary or to any style of car in common use, since it asdescribed.

' D. V. PUTN AM. WVitnesses:

J. A. FITZHUGH, G. B. GREEN.

